Professional Development CenterDaniel A. Reed LibraryState University of New York at FredoniaFredonia, NY 14063pdc-grp@fredonia.edu

Join a Renga!

Renga Learning Communities Rengas are a great way to connect with colleagues while
exploring a question or topic that has the potential to improve our campus, benefit
our community, and advance all of our professional skills and accomplishments. Of
course, they are also a great way to have fun and get to know people!

Connecting with the Big Read

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to restore
reading to the center of American culture, and is sponsored by Daniel A. Reed Library,
the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System (CCLS), Erie-2-Chautauqua-Cattaragus Board
of Cooperative Educational Services (Erie-2 BOCES), and the Chautauqua Arts Council.
This renga learning community will explore ways in which the faculty can lend their
expertise to the Big Read, or, involve their students in projects and programming
that will take place in a variety of venues throughout the county, including: schools,
public libraries, assisted living facilities, local businesses, and non-profits. Participating
in the Renga will assist with the process of identifying potential interdisciplinary
collaborations and community partnerships, and will create a space for dialogue concerning
this community-wide program. This year's book selection is Call of the Wild, and the
Big Read events will take place in February 2013.

Holistic Education

This group will explore educational philosophies that develop the entire individual
through attention to moral, spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs.
We will examine approaches that appreciate life-long learning, value creation, and
humanistic educational principles.

Cross-Cultural Exchange

Launched in Fall 2010, this forum explores cross-cultural exchanges with our campus
members from diverse backgrounds. We strive to promote dialogue around the unique
requirements (i.e., needs, interests, and perspectives) posed by students, faculty,
and staff of diverse cultural, religious, and sexual orientations. Ideas from the
first year include establishing community outreach efforts, mentorships, and fostering
cross-cultural contact. Most importantly, we want to expand the existing resources
to retain students and faculty from diverse backgrounds, who often face unique challenges
as a part of our national community.